Devotionals

The flippant references about God and lack of respect for authority that are rampant in our culture reflect the primal sin of not giving honor to the Creator. Unfortunately, even those of us in the church are not entirely guiltless ...Read More

Discontent in our lives and envy of the blessings of others is the opposite of thanksgiving, and these things threaten to plunge us back into the darkness of sin. John Calvin comments, “Ingratitude is very frequently the reason why we ...Read More

Adam, despite the benefits of Eden, fell into sin. Israel, despite the benefits of the Promised Land, fell into sin, thereby demonstrating the drastic measures that had to be taken to restore men and women to fellowship with the Creator. ...Read More

It is obviously difficult to follow Paul’s admonition to give thanks in all circumstances (1 Thess. 5:18), which is why we need strengthening from on high to persevere with joy as we thank the Lord (Col. 1:11–12). This power comes ...Read More

It is impossible for us to be good enough to earn God’s pleasure; that is why faithfulness to His covenant means giving up our attempts to earn His favor and relying on Christ alone for salvation (Gal. 3:15–29). If we ...Read More

In our market-driven culture, the temptation to covet that which belongs to others is constantly before us. Thus, we need all the help we can get to find contentment in those things we cannot change. We need Christian friends to ...Read More

The answer to covetousness is not the absence of all desire, as in Buddhism, but rather the cultivation of contentment (1 Tim. 6:6–10). It can be a long journey on the way to discovering how to be content in every ...Read More

John Calvin writes that our partaking of food is not done in holiness “unless it be accompanied by true knowledge and calling on the name of God.” We are no better than animals, he says, if we do not give ...Read More

Have you ever tried to catalog your blessings? Why not do so? Actually write down the good things God has given to you, as many as you can think of: your spouse, your children, good friends, lessons you’ve learned, great ...Read More

“Count your blessings, name them one by one.” So the old hymn exhorts us—with valid Biblical warrant. We are to be thankful people, expressing gratitude to our God for His blessings, however small they may be. Not mechanically, but devotionally, ...Read More